Definitions

(noun) color
(noun) appearance; look
(noun) sex; lust
shǎi (noun) dice

Etymology

Depicts a kneeling person () being pushed down by a hand (). Based on the original meaning "press down", now written as . The current meaning "color" is a phonetic loan.

About

The character 色 originally depicted a person’s facial expression, particularly one reflecting emotional state or physical appearance. Over time, this association with complexion and skin hue led to its broader meaning of color or pigment. Beyond this, 色 also developed connotations of sensual desire, physical attractiveness, and eroticism, showing a semantic shift from human expression to visual qualities and human appetite. Its modern form consists of the top element ⺈, a variant of the knife radical, and the bottom element 巴, which can represent a crust or snake, though these components do not directly reflect the character’s earlier etymological structure.

Etymology Hide

Bronze etymology image
Bronze Late Spring and Autumn (~500 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Chu (Warring States: 475-221 BC)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Seal etymology image
Seal Shuowen (~100 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Qin dynasty (221-206 BC)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Western Han dynasty (202 BC-9 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Clerical etymology image
Clerical Eastern Han dynasty (25-220 AD)
Traditional Modern
Simplified Modern

Example Sentences Hide

我最喜欢蓝

Wǒ zuì xǐhuān lán sè.

I like blue the most.

这个颜很鲜艳。

Zhège yánsè hěn xiānyàn.

This color is very bright.

秋天的景真迷人。

Qiūtiān de jǐngsè zhēn mírén.

The autumn scenery is really charming.

她脸苍白,好像病了。

Tā liǎnsè cāngbái, hǎoxiàng bìngle.

Her face is pale, as if she is sick.

盲的人无法分辨某些颜

Sèmáng de rén wúfǎ fēnbiàn mǒu xiē yánsè.

Colorblind people cannot distinguish some colors.

艺术家善于运用彩来表达情感。

Yìshùjiā shànyú yùnyòng sècǎi lái biǎodá qínggǎn.

Artists are good at using colors to express emotions.

这种材料的差在允许范围内。

Zhè zhǒng cáiliào de sèchā zài yǔnxǔ fànwéi nèi.

The color difference of this material is within the allowable range.

从她的眼中,我看出了担忧。

Cóng tā de yǎnsè zhōng, wǒ kàn chūle dānyōu.

From the look in her eyes, I saw worry.